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| The Road to Houston and the Final Four starts this afternoon! |
Here is a breakdown of all the first round NCAA Tournament games -
East Region
· 1-Ohio State vs. 16-Texas San Antonio/Alabama State
· Cleveland, Ohio
· March 18th – 4:40PM – TNT
o This one is pretty easy and doesn’t require much to break down. Ohio State has beat teams of this caliber by point margins in the twenties and thirties. Don’t expect anything very special coming out of this game on Friday.
o Prediction: Ohio State – Don’t get cute here people.
· 8-George Mason vs. Villanova
· Cleveland, Ohio
· March 18th – 2:10PM – TNT
o Over the last few months of the season, both teams had very polar opposite finishes. George Mason won 14 of their last 15 games, while Villanova lost 10 of their last 15 games. At one point in the season Villanova was a top-10 that seemed to be destined for a long NCAA Tournament run. That bad fortune was capped off with a stunning first round loss to South Florida in the Big East Tournament. Villanova is dangerous if they find themselves before the end of Friday afternoon. Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns are a three-headed force when Villanova is on, and they are vital in the Wildcat’s success. The key though will be whether or not Villanova can be physical in the paint. George Mason, with players like Cam Long and Andre Cornelius, can matchup with Villanova in terms of guard play. However, the Patriots don’t have the same big men they did when they made the Final Four back in 2006. If Mouphtau Yarou and Anthony Pena can get going, then Villanova should have an advantage on George Mason. Unfortunately for them, they’ve fallen backwards into the NCAA Tournament, while George Mason has rolled in.
o Prediction: George Mason – Unless Villanova magically comes alive, this pick seems obvious.
· 5-West Virginia vs. 12-Clemson
· Tampa Bay, Florida
· March 17th – 12:15PM – CBS
o Clemson knocked off Alabama-Birmingham on Tuesday night in the “First Four” and moved on to face West Virginia early Thursday. One day off should be enough, but Clemson will have a quick turnaround as they play the first game of the next round. West Virginia meanwhile had an early exit in the Big East Tournament despite another successful season. Both teams won’t (usually) blow anyone out of the gym and play a fairly excellent defense. West Virginia was one of the best 3-point defenses in the country, so Clemson may have issues if they fall behind early. Neither team is big, but West Virginia’s big men are more versatile and could cause matchup issues for Clemson. It is a pretty solid matchup in terms of similar traits.
o Prediction: West Virginia – Similar style and numbers, but the Mountaineers have done it successfully against far better teams
· 4-Kentucky vs. 13-Princeton
· Tampa Bay, Florida
· March 17th – 2:45PM – CBS
o This year’s Ivy League Champion Princeton is not anything like the juggernaut that Cornell was last year. While Princeton may be competitive in this one with their newer version of the “Princeton offense,” but it may not last long. The Tigers do shoot the ball well, but their offensive pace will be pushed by a much more athletic Kentucky squad. The Wildcats are a much better shooting team this year as well. This just spells disaster for Princeton; because once they fall behind they won’t be able to catch up.
o Prediction: Kentucky – Princeton may people to keep things close early, but Kentucky is too much for the Tigers over the course of an entire game
